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The candidate will take on a central role in a project where the aim is to develop novel metal catalysts for removing hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide from primary alcohols. The reaction involves two steps where the catalyst first removes hydrogen gas from the alcohol (a dehydrogenation) and then carbon monoxide from the resulting aldehyde (a decarbonylation). The transformation has been termed a dehydrogenative decarbonylation and has previously been achieved with very expensive platinum group catalysts. However, for broader applications cheaper and more widely available metal catalysts will have to be developed. Therefore, the project will examine non-precious transition metal complexes which have shown promising results for removing hydrogen gas from alcohols and carbon monoxide from aldehydes. The scope of the new catalysts will be studied and the mechanism investigated. The most effective catalysts will be applied for valorization of inexpensive substrates from biomass.
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